NOURISH THE SOUL, NOT JUST THE BODY

Praise the Lord,

We are named by our parents. Our ears are most attentive when our names are called out from a list of contestants as the winner or selected for a purpose. We feel hurt when someone calls us nicknames or makes fun of our names. Our name gives us an identity. We are separate from others. We have an individuality. Our friends hang out with us. We are surrounded by our loved ones, colleagues and co-believers. We do everything possible to retain our good name and the character attributes attached therewith. All efforts are taken to enhance our beauty or material welfare. We think we will live on forever and ever. Death is always for the ‘other’ person. But it comes on us suddenly. We cannot escape from it.

The thought that I read in a book and that set me thinking is –After we die, we are just a ‘body’. No one says—“Put Susan or George here.” It’s always-Put the ‘body’ here. Lower the ‘body’ into the grave. Fly the ‘body’ home etc. Our name is hardly used at such a point.

After all the care that we got as a person from others, and the effort ,time and money we spent in maintaining our health and increase its longevity and replenish its outward appearance, we end up being just a ‘body’!! Let us understand that Genesis 3:19.’For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

We should remember that this body is just an outer covering or case, it is corruptible and decays. What is important is the Soul. We have to nourish the soul while we are alive in this body. 1st Corinthians 15:53, For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Let us understand Genesis 3:19.’For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

Here is a wonderful passage of Scriptures evidencing that our vile earthly bodies will be CHANGED into glorified bodies, fashioned like unto the Lord’s resurrected body…

Philippians 3:20-21, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be FASHIONED LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

So let us take more care of matters that pertain to the soul, feed it with spiritual manna-God’s Word, strengthen it with the Power of the Holy Spirit and not pay undue attention to this mortal body. We have to take care of it, maintain it with God’s wisdom as

1 Corinthians 6:19 says: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?, but not give it predominance over the soul.

God Bless you!! Amen

Are We Aware of Masks

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?   ( Mat 7:15,16)

Its the same verse as of yesterday, but the Lord is speaking in another manner to all of us this day.

Its a word of Caution from the Lord as He starts off saying or asking the reader to BE CAREFUL OR CAUTIOUS of a group, the false Prophets. Jesus Christ who is loving and because of His care for us, He is telling us that we are living among a world of people who wear masks on them. Its not just about the false prophets, but we all do also have various masks on us. Look at how Jesus reveals to us about their masks. He says that they are one who wear a mask of a sheep outward but inward they are like wolves who are wanting to destroy the ones in front of them. They are the ones who never like others move in the good path, they never want others to be close to God.

Another term used in the Bible are the HYPOCRITES. An Hypocrite means a person who pretends to be what he is not. Such people are also ones with mask on them. They say/show off one thing in them but inward they are not so. They are ones who hide their real identity from others. But how long. Christ Jesus reminds us that it cannot be covered for long. One day all will be revealed as in Luke 12:2 – 3

Luk 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 
Luk 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

There are many verses about hypocrites or about a person who pretends to be what he is not.

Dear ones, we need to be careful and look out for pretenders in life. We too have many such masks and please continue reading the devotions as the Lord will point out the MASKS in us.

God bless you. AMEN

Reflecting Jesus Christ and His Glory through Us

When we stand in front of a mirror, we see our image or ourselves on that mirror. Do we find it strange? No never. We stand in front of the mirror to see ourselves and we then make all the necessary changes looking at that mirror to make our look feel better. What if the mirror was full of dust? Would we be able to enjoy looking at that or would we say that its the dirt on our face and just try to wipe our face and move on... NO !! NEVER. We would first clean up the mirror if any thing would give us the slightest feel to have a clear and perfect reflection of ourselves only.

Well, dear loved ones, we are the mirror and WE need to reflect Jesus who is standing before us. WE need to be as the moon reflecting the suns light. The moon cannot shine by itself and so reflects the light from the sun. Then why not we do the same, REFLECT the Glory for JESUS CHRIST through our LIVES and DEEDS and ACTIONS. 

2Cor 3:12 – 18

12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:  13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished (LAW):  14 But their minds were blinded:  for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.   15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.   1)16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away (REPENTANCE, REALIZING Our Faults, Shortcomings…).   2)17 Now the Lord is that Spirit:  and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (Live by the Holy Spirit).   18 But we all (Paul is talking about the Church the Body of Christ the saved people, saints, believers, followers, disciples of Christ etc…), with open face (Confirms that we have no veil as Christ took away the veil that was on us, the veil of Sin and LAW) beholding as in a glass (Self Reflecting) WHAT??? the glory of the Lord, RESULT of the REFLECTION??? WE are changed into the same image from glory to glory 3) (A PROCESS to be CONTINUOUS), even as by the Spirit of the Lord (the Lord through the Holy Spirit helps us in the PROCESS to be changed to HIS IMAGE).  

Main thing to do is to REFLECT THE GLORY OF THE LORD

How can this be done through us?

1. We need to get the understanding, as the great servant of the Lord Paul did get, regarding this intensifying Glory which was a totally different Hope as found in the NT believers.
2. Understand who the veil is, what the veil is,  that is then and now – The LAW, SIN, Our Flesh
3. Effect of the veil on the minds of the people – Blinded them
4. Understand how the Veil can be taken off – 1.We need to understand Jesus helped take off the veil, 2. we need to turn to the Lord – Deny self relying
5. What needs to be done once the veil is taken off
1. We start walking in the Liberty of the Spirit
2. We attain a open face i.e. become a mirror ready  to reflect
6. What happens when we start Reflecting
1. We are changed to the same image of the Lord
2. God’s Glory is projected from glory  to glory  through us
3. We understand that we are led by the Spirit to walk according to it to attain the reflection
7. We need to understand in what all ways we can reflect Jesus Christ

( .... to be continued)

What does our ear Hear?

How many times have we gone off-track from the plan of God because the reply from God did not reach us in time due to congestion (busyness of life) in our bandwidth (time= 24 hours) after we waited so long making request for a direction. Having faced delay in answer how many times did we act according to human wisdom and thinking thereby missing a wholesome healing in the lives of people whom God sent to us from time to time. (read it again n again)

How fast our attention gets diverted from God and His kingdom business to the pleasures and wealth of this world. (New technologies and gadgets that appear in the market..Do that tempt us? Are we tempted to change mobiles according to the latest trends?)

How much debts are we in today due to lack of discipline?

How many time have our prayers for a miracle not been answered, but we blamed the lack of faith of the person who came for prayer?

How often do we find ourselves short of weapons to fight the devil and even those weapon that we hold slip off?

How many spiritual-murders have happened because of our wild living? (Especially the personal staff of leaders of organizations like drivers, house-helpers etc. Does the wild living of these leaders offend them?)

We say we love Jesus... Do we?

How much do you love Him?

I was really desperate about my spiritual condition. Was longing for a change and fresh revelations (voice of God) with all my heart. It was when the Holy Spirit started to speak to me in a deeper and clearer way than what I have been experiencing in the past lately. I was reading the above passage from an NIV translation one day and my mind started asking this question,

“Why did Jesus appear to Mary Magdalene in person first before He ever appeared to anyone after He rose from the dead?”

That seemingly-simple question initiated a whole lot of thought processing and search for the answer. I started to read and re-read the passage thereafter. Then I discussed it in the group of young disciples that we work with and shared it to three different small congregations in the following week. In the process, I found a reason which is encouraging me to be like Mary though I am nowhere near her commitment. But I believe if I continue to long for Him and not lose the momentum in between nor get distracted by worldly cares and comforts, He would appear to me too in 2011.

John 20:1-17 (New International Version, ©2010)

The Empty Tomb

4 Steps to maintain Crystal Clear Life

2Co 4:2  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

This is averse that we all need to look closely or have to dig deep to find living water coming from deep beneath. To have a glorious ministry and to experience that glorious ministry, Apostle Paul mentions some of the steps involved.

Crystal Clear Christian LIFE

This world is full of experiences and most of them make us feel bad and sound also bad. Human beings are becoming more and more self concentrated and greedy to live their own life not caring for others. I don't mean that we need to care and do all for everybody, but there seems to be no humanity found. For and example to say... God has given me all that I need and still I am trying to make myself happy even though I see someone who is in need. This reminds me of the story that Jesus told about the Richman and Lazarus. Why could not the rich man see Lazarus who was needy? I would not say that the Richman had to give all his property for Lazarus, but he could have at least given a day’s meal which would help the poor beggar to survive. Something could be done, but the Richman ignored Lazarus and finally God too had to reject the rich man because of his deeds. The Bible clearly teaches that we will reap of what we sow on earth. So why not be careful and thoughtful of what we do and say.